Quackwatch

Quackwatch
Formation1969
FounderStephen Barrett
Dissolved2008 (as corporation); reorganized 2020 under Center for Inquiry
TypeHealth fraud watchdog
PurposeCombat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct
HeadquartersUnited States
Official language
English, French, Portuguese
Parent organization
Center for Inquiry
AffiliationsNational Council Against Health Fraud
Websitequackwatch.org
Formerly called
Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud

Quackwatch is a United States-based website focused on promoting consumer protection and providing information about health related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct. It primarily targets alternative medicine, questionable health claims, and practices it considers pseudoscience. It was founded in 1996 by Stephen Barrett, a retired psychiatrist and former co-chair of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Initially operated under the nonprofit Quackwatch, Inc., it became part of the Center for Inquiry (CFI) in 2020. Its content is now maintained by CFI's Office of Consumer Protection and Pseudoscience.

Quackwatch has been cited by, and received both praise and criticism from, mainstream media, academic journals, and professional organizations. Supporters describe it as a resource for evidence-based health information, while critics, particularly proponents of alternative medicine, have challenged its tone and objectivity. The site includes articles, position papers, and links to regulatory actions, and it has been involved in broader efforts to monitor and report health fraud through affiliated networks such as the National Council Against Health Fraud and The Skeptics Society.